It was the year Alcoa didn’t make any big news. That’s not a good thing for Rockdale. Since
1951 the ups and downs of Alcoa’s Rockdale
Operations have been major news in year-end Reporter
news roundups.
There was plenty of news made in other areas during the year just past. Full Story

FINAL BLOOD DRAWING OF ‘09 The American Red Cross Bloodmobile visited the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church fellowship hall Tuesday for the final blood drawing of 2009. A total of 14 units were collected. Full Story

Shuffield issues candidate’s statement
Donald “Duck” Shuffield has filed as a write-in candidate for the vacant West Ward seat of the Rockdale City Council.
He has been very involved in the local, state and national political scenes, serving as a delegate to the Democratic conventions at each level. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Conventions in New York City in 1992 and Chicago in 1996. Full Story

City election early voting ends Tuesday
Early voting for the Jan. 9 west ward city council election is light with only xx casting ballots through Tuesday at City Hall.
The final day to vote early is Tuesday, Jan. 5.
Doug Calame and write- in candidate Donald “Duck” Shuffield are vying for the west ward position which has been open since Griffin Rogers was removed from office in September. Full Story

Aluminum price rises but inventories soar
The price of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was $2,247 per metric ton on Tuesday, not all that far from a number targeted by a community information group two months ago as a level where Alcoa might begin thinking about re-starting Rockdale Operations. Full Story

(Editor’s note: The following
is a statement from incumbent
county judge Frank Summers on
his candidacy for office.)
Full Story

POSGCD directors re-appointed by Milam Commissioners Court
Milam County commissioners on Monday unanimously reappointed three members to the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation Board (POSGCD).
Kerry Starnes and Jim Hodson of Rockdale and Jay Tumlinson of Cameron were re-appointed despite pleas in previous meetings for commissioners to open up the selection process and consider other possible nominees. Full Story

A&M joins rare books world as major player
COLLEGE STATION — Most of t he 4 million volumes in the Texas A&M University Libraries are readily available to students, faculty and staff on campus and elsewhere, but a g row ing number of book are quite rare. These volumes attract scholars and researchers from throughout the nation — a nd requ ire specia l ha ndling. Full Story